Agong: Govt must do detailed study to address flood risks

 

Yang di-Pertuan Agong al-Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, today decreed for the government to conduct a detailed study to reduce and address the flood risks.

His Majesty said that short and long-term solutions, such as flood mitigation projects and efforts to deepen shallow rivers, are necessary due to frequent flooding.

“We can think about the cost (to implement the project to address flood problems) later, but we have to find the cause as there are always floods occurring, every year, every month.

“This is also subject to small rivers and drains in the city, which are not well maintained... all kinds of garbage thrown arbitrarily, which may be the cause of the flooding,” said His Majesty.

Sultan Abdullah said this while visiting and presenting donations to flood victims, at the Kampung Baru Sungai Chedong temporary relief centre today.

He was accompanied by Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah, and their son, Tengku Amir Nasser Ibrahim Shah.

Also present was Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.

In addition, Sultan Abdullah also wanted those who were ordered to evacuate immediately to comply with the instruction, apart from always being aware of the safety of their children and other family members and maintaining cleanliness in the relief centre.

His Majesty expressed his appreciation to all federal and state government agencies, and NGOs for helping flood victims - hoping that assistance would continue to be increased from time to time.

During the visit, Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah also presented donations, in the forms of cash, food items and personal care products, to flood victims in the Kampung Baru Sungai Chedong and the Dewan Arena YAM Tengku Muda relief centres.

The floods hit Pahang on Wednesday, as a result of continuous heavy rain, causing the river water level to overflow in Raub, Jerantut, Maran, Pekan, Bera, Temerloh and Rompin districts.

However, the flood situation in Raub and Jerantut fully recovered today.

Meanwhile, one of the evacuees, Mohd Sulaiman Abdul Shukor, 39, was visibly moved by His Majesty’s concerns about his right leg, which was amputated to the knee as a result of a road accident in October last year.

Sulaiman, who sought shelter at the Kampung Baru Sungai Chedong relief centre since Wednesday, said that the assistance he received greatly helped to reduce his financial burden, as he is now unemployed after the accident.

“I used to help a fish trader in the market, so my income and savings were not much,” he said.

- Bernama